Archives

Lord Bach: My right honourable friend the Minister of State (Michael Wills) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 6 May, I informed the House that the Government had published a consultation document, Archives for the 21st Century, asking for views on a proposed new policy for archival services. The Government specifically sought views on five main proposals to help the sector build the foundations for a more sustainable future and respond to the challenges of the digital information age.
	This consultation closed on 12 August and the Government are grateful for all the responses they received from a wide range of individuals and organisations. Based on the feedback received, which was largely supportive, I have today laid before the House a revised and final version of the policy.
	The policy outlines a new framework for the sustainable development and improvement of the publicly funded archive sector, which supports the sector and maximises opportunities to make archives accessible to an even wider range of people.
	The National Archives and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council now wish to encourage professional bodies, individual institutions and other key stakeholders to help them shape a detailed action plan. This will take forward the policy's five recommendations with the aim of strengthening this key part of the nation's historical, cultural and information infrastructure. Between today and the end of January 2010 they will be consulting widely on a draft of the plan, and developing it in light of comments received.
	A copy of the policy has been placed in the Library of the House, along with a report on the responses received during the consultation.

Attorney-General's Office: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Attorney General's total DEL will be increased by £8,271,000 from £736,695,000 to £744,966,000. Within the total DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Change  New DEL  £'000 
			  Voted Non-voted Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource DEL 3,226 5,045 729,855 10,898 740,753 
			 of which:  
			 Administration budget † - - 68,623 - 68,623 
			 Near-cash in RDEL * 3,226 5,045 717,482 12,571 730,053 
			 Capital DEL ** - - 12,730 - 12,730 
			 Less Depreciation *** - - 8,517 - 8,517 
			 Total DEL 3,226 5,045 734,068 10,898 744,966 
		
	
	* The total of "Administration budget" and "Near-cash in Resource DEL" figures may well be greater than total Resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	*** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) element of the Attorney General's total DEL will be increased by £44,343,000 from £643,992,000 to £688,335,000.
	Changes in Near-cash Resource DEL arise from:
	A Machinery of Government transfer of £36,072,000 from the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office as a result of the previously announced merger.
	Budgetary transfers from the Ministry of Justice totalling £8,123,000 consisting of:
	£4,300,000 to help fund the Compass Case Management System;£2,600,000 from the Victim Surcharge collections;£806,000 to provide support for the Local Criminal Justice Boards; and£417,000 to help fund the prosecution of new offences introduced in the Road Safety Act 2006.
	A budgetary transfer of £148,000 from the Home Office to help fund the delivery of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006
	The Serious Fraud Office's (SFO) element of the Attorney General's total DEL remains unchanged at £40,932,000.
	The HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor's (TSol) element of the Attorney General's total DEL remains unchanged at £15,699,000.
	The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office's (RCPO) element of the Attorney General's total DEL will be decreased by £36,072,000 to £0 arising from a Machinery of Government transfer to the Crown Prosecution Service as a result of the previously announced merger.

Cabinet Office: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Baroness Crawley: My right honourable friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Tessa Jowell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the Winter Supplementary Estimate 2009-10, the Cabinet Office total Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased by £17,068,000 from £377,081,000 to £394,149,000 and Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) will be increased by £10,000 from £Nil to £10,000.
	The impact on resources and capital is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 £'000 Main Estimate DEL   Changes   Winter Supplementary Estimate New DEL   
			  Voted Non Voted Total Voted Non Voted Total Voted Non Voted Total 
			 Resource DEL 324,540 36,875 361,415 +8,414 +8,140 +16,554 332,954 45,015 377,969 
			 Of which:  
			 Administration Budget 207,833 - 207,833 -1,436 - -1,436 206,397 - 206,397 
			 Near cash in RDEL 279,762 36,875 316,637 +8,414 +8,140 +16,554 288,176 45,015 333,191 
			 Capital DEL** 49,471 1,000 50,471 +514 - +514 49,985 1,000 50,985 
			 Depreciation* -34,805 - -34,805 - - - -34,805 - -34,805 
			 Total DEL 339,206 37,875 377,081 +8,928 +8,140 +17,068 348,134 46,015 394,149 
			 Resource AME - - - - +10 +10 -   
		
	
	* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	Summary of Changes in DEL and AME
	The change in the resource element of DEL, an increase of £16.554 million, comprises a £18 million agreed claim on the Reserve, £0.010 million transfer to AME as a result of the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), £0.942 million resulting from transfers of budgetary cover to other government departments and £0.494 million transfer to Capital DEL.
	The change in the capital element of DEL, an increase of £0.514 million, comprises a £0.494 million transfer from Resource DEL and a £0.020 million budgetary cover transfer from another government department.
	Changes in Resource DEL (RDEL)
	The changes which result in a net increase in Resource DEL (RDEL) of £16,554,000 are as follows:
	Agreed Claim on the Reserve
	A drawdown on the Reserve for the Grassroots Grant programme increases Resource DEL and Net Cash Requirement by £18,000,000.
	Budget cover transfers outwards
	A transfer to the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to cover costs of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel reduces Resource DEL and Net Cash Requirement by £226,000.
	A transfer to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to cover costs of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel reduces Resource DEL and Net Cash Requirement by £376,000.
	A transfer to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to cover work on community cohesion reduces Resource DEL and Net Cash Requirement by £340,000.
	Transfers from Voted Resource to Capital DEL
	Transfers from voted Resource to Capital DEL decreases Resource DEL by £494,000 and consists of the following: a £30,000 contribution towards the creation of a new Public Appointments Website, a £14,000 contribution in respect of software for a secure communication network and a £450,000 transfer to cover the expenditure on enhancing the computer system which supports Civil Service Pensions.
	Transfer from Non-Voted Resource DEL to AME
	A transfer of £10,000 has been made from non-voted resource DEL to AME in respect of employee benefits for accrued holiday pay which is a cost resulting from the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
	Changes in Capital DEL (CDEL)
	The changes which result in a net increase in Capital DEL (CDEL) of £514,000 are as follows:
	Transfers from Voted Resource to Capital DEL
	Transfers from voted Resource to Capital DEL increases Capital DEL by £494,000 and consists of the following: a £30,000 contribution towards the creation of a new Public Appointments Website, a £14,000 contribution in respect of software for a secure communication network and a £450,000 transfer to cover the expenditure on enhancing the computer system which supports Civil Service Pensions.
	Budget cover transfer inwards
	A transfer of £20,000 has been made from the Government Equalities Office to contribute to the costs of a new Public Appointments Website.

Chief Construction Adviser

Lord Davies of Abersoch: My honourable friend the Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform (Ian Lucas) has today made the following Statement:
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, together with the Office of Government Commerce, is today announcing that Paul Morrell OBE will be appointed to the new role of government chief adviser on construction.
	The government chief construction adviser is an independent role, but will report jointly to BIS and HM Treasury Ministers. The remit of the role includes: chairing the new Construction Collaborative Category Board, which will build on the existing Public Sector Construction Clients Forum, to drive the implementation and further development of best value construction procurement; leading the low carbon construction innovation and growth team which will assess the key barriers to growth in the UK's low carbon construction sector to ensure the UK industry is well placed to serve developing needs and markets; chairing an enhanced sustainable construction strategy delivery board to help ensure policy regarding the industry is effectively co-ordinated; working with the industry, through the Strategic Forum for Construction, to deliver the industry improvement agenda including the construction commitments; promoting innovation in the sector, working closely with the Technology Strategy Board and other funding bodies; and co-ordinating the Whitehall response to reports featuring construction.
	Paul Morrell was previously senior partner of construction consultants Davis Langdon and also deputy chair of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

Department for Children, Schools and Families: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (Ed Balls) made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department for Children, Schools and Families Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased by £33,571,000 from £56,381,456,000 to £56,415,027,000; the administration cost budget will remain at £182,352,000. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OFSTED), which has a separate Estimate and DEL, will remain at £192,881,000 with the administration cost budget remaining at £28,020,000.
	Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
	
		
			 DCFS Resources Capital*** 
			  Change New DEL Of which: Change New DEL Of which: 
			Voted Non-voted   Voted Non- voted 
			  £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 
			 RfR 1 8,479 47,593,554 46,319,708 1,273,846 32,522 6,991,188 3,303,536 3,687,652 
			 RfR 2 -7,430 1,447,260 1,422,910 24,350 0 383,025 383,025 0 
			 DCSF Total 1,049 49,040,814 47,742,618 1,298,196 32,522 7,374,213 3,686,561 3,687,652 
			 OFSTED 0 191,900 178,385 13,515 0 981 981 0 
			 Sub Total 1,049 49,232,714 47,921,003 1,311,711 32,522 7,375,194 3,687,542 3,687,652 
			 *Of which Admin Budget 0 210,372 210,372 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Near-cash in RDEL 1,049 49,270,499 47,917,883 1,352,616 0 0 0 0 
			 Depreciation* 0 -12,385 -8,826 -3,559 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 1,049 49,207,944 47,912,177 1,308,152 32,522 7,375,194 3,687,542 3,687,652 
		
	
	* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL, in the table above, since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	** The total of 'Administration budget' and 'Near-cash in resource DEL' figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	*** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	Resource DEL
	The increase in the resource element of the DEL of £1,049,000 arises from an decrease in the voted element of the resource DEL of £28,340,000 and an increase of £29,389,000 in the non-voted element of resource DEL mainly in the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
	Voted Resource DEL
	The £28,340,000 decrease in the voted element of the resource DEL arises from:
	RFR1
	A movement of £4,500,000 from RfR2 for the National Strategies Early Years programmes.
	A movement of £300,000 from RfR2 for Early Support e-profile.
	A transfer to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills of £400,000 for the transfer of Crescent Purchasing to the College Sector.
	A transfer to the Ministry of Justice of £291,000 for Implementation of the Children and Adoption Act.
	A transfer to the Scottish Office of £228,000 for Child Trust Funds.
	A movement of £24,441,000 to non-voted resource DEL to support the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
	RFR2
	A transfer from Department for Work and Pensions of £572,000 for Child Poverty programmes.
	A movement of £4,500,000 to RfR1 in respect of National Strategies Early Years programmes.
	A movement of £300,000 to RfR1 in respect of Early Support e-profile.
	A movement of £3,202,000 to non-voted resource DEL to support the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
	A movement of £350,000 to support the Department's Non Departmental Public Bodies.
	Non-voted resource DEL
	The £29,389,000 increase in Non-voted resource DEL arises from:
	RFR1
	A transfer of £1,396,000 from the Home Office for the Migration Impact Fund.
	A movement of £27,643,000 from voted resource to support the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
	RFR2
	A movement of £350,000 from voted resource to support the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
	Capital DEL
	The increase in the capital element of the DEL of £32,522,000 arises from a £2,642,944,000 decrease in the voted element of capital DEL and an increase of £2,675,466,000 in the non-voted element of capital DEL.
	Voted Capital DEL
	The £2,642,944,000 decrease in the voted element of the capital DEL arises from:
	A take up of End Year Flexibility of £67,408,000 for Building Schools for the Future and Academy costs.
	A reduction of £100,000,000 from RfR1 voted Capital Grants to Local Authorities for Building Britain's Future.
	A movement of £2,610,352,000 from voted resource for Capital Grants to Local Authorities to support Schools to non-voted resource to support the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
	Non-voted Capital DEL
	The £2,675,466,000 increase in the non-voted element of capital DEL arises from:
	A take up of End Year Flexibility of £65,114,000 to support the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies with Building Schools for the Future and Academy costs.
	A movement of £2,610,352,000 from voted resource for Capital Grants to Local Authorities to support Schools to non-voted resource to support the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
	There has been no change in overall DEL limits within the Winter Supplementary; however a movement of £10,000,000 from Non-Voted Departmental Unallocated Provision to Voted Resource has been made to cover increased expenditure on existing services.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Davies of Abersoch: My right honourable friend the Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills (Pat McFadden) has today made the following Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' DEL will be increased by £19,906,781,000 from £1,922,920,000 to £21,829,701,000 as a consequence of the merger between the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. The Administration budget will be increased by £84,524,000 from £272,949,000 to £357,473,000.
	Within the DEL change, the impact on Resources and Capital is as set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Change New DEL 
			  Voted Non-Voted Voted Non-Voted Total 
			 Resource (£000) -4,037,427 21,292,300 -3,515,015 22,354,754 18,839,739 
			 of which:  
			 Administration* budget 84,524  357,473  357,473 
			 Near cash in Resource DEL* -5,337,748 21,062,238 -4,937,070 22,105,386 17,168,316 
			 Capital (£000) -95,993 2,747,901 -486,854 3,476,816 2,989,962 
			 Less Depreciation* (£000) -5,112 -180,116 -59,448 -201,279 -260,727 
			 Total (£000) -4,138,532 23,860,085 -4,061,317 25,630,291 21,568,974 
		
	
	* The total of the 'Administration Budget' and 'Near Cash in Resource DEL' figures may well be greater than total Resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	* Capital DEL includes items treated as Resource in Estimates and Accounts, but which are treated as Capital DEL in Budgets.
	* Depreciation, which forms part of Resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since Capital DEL includes Capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from:
	RfR1
	i) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £114,024,000 voted near cash and £317,335,000 of non-voted near cash in respect of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation and central programmes;
	ii) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £3,762,000 voted depreciation and £7,829,000 other voted non cash and £168,000 non-voted depreciation and £23,000 of other non-voted non cash in respect of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation and central programmes;
	iii) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £400,000 non-voted near cash and negative £400,000 non-voted non cash in respect of research establishments provisions;
	iv) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £40,624,000 non-voted near cash in respect of the Departmental Unallocated Provision;
	v) transfer of £1,027,000 voted DEL and £4,732,000 non-voted DEL from the Department for Work and Pensions in respect of Business Link activities to tackle long term unemployment;
	vi) virement of £43,700,000 from non-voted Departmental Unallocated Provision to voted expenditure in respect of the Automotive Scrappage Scheme;
	vii) virement of £7,300,000 from voted Strategic Investment Fund capital expenditure to non-voted resource expenditure in respect of the Technology Strategy Board;
	viii) virement of £2,500,000 from voted expenditure in respect of Business to non-voted Regional Development Agency expenditure;
	ix) virement of £37,000,000 of non-voted expenditure from the Learning and Skills Council (RfR3) to Regional Development Agencies (RfR1) voted expenditure in respect of the Train to Gain programme;
	x) virement of £1,700,000 from voted expenditure in respect of Business Link Marketing to non-voted Regional Development Agency expenditure;
	xi) transfer of £2,629,000 from the Home Office in respect of Migration Impact Funding;
	xii) virement of £138,000 from voted central programmes to the non-voted Departmental Unallocated Provision.
	Also within the change to resource DEL, the changes to the Administration budget are (RfR1):
	i) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £69,299,000 voted near cash, £1,350,000 voted depreciation and £250,000 of other voted non cash;
	ii) reclassification to administration from non-voted programme Departmental Unallocated Provision of £13,625,000.
	RfR2
	i) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £116,742,000 voted near cash and £2,732,835,000 of non-voted near cash in respect of Science programmes;
	ii) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £138,960,000 non-voted depreciation and £54,600,000 other non-voted non cash in respect of Science programmes;
	iii) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £27,332,000 non-voted near cash and £2,511,000 non-voted depreciation in respect of the Departmental Unallocated Provision;
	iv) virement of £287,000 non-voted Departmental Unallocated provision to voted Research-Based Initiatives.
	RfR3
	i) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of a net negative £5,763,198,000 voted near cash and £18,038,714,000 of non-voted near cash in respect of Education programmes;
	ii) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £1,331,730,000 other voted non cash and £16,624,000 non-voted depreciation and a net negative £27,024,000 of other non-voted non cash in respect of Education programmes;
	iii) transfer of £24,073,000 from the Ministry of Justice in respect of prison education and offender learning;
	iv) transfer of £222,000 from the Ministry of Justice in respect of Government Skills;
	v) utilisation of £384,000 from the non-voted Departmental Unallocated Provision for voted Government Skills;
	vi) virement of £60,000 to the non-voted Departmental Unallocated Provision from voted International programmes;
	vii) virement of £10,000,000 to non-voted capital from non-voted resource in respect of the Learning and Skills Council;
	viii) virement of £37,000,000 of non-voted expenditure from the Learning and Skills Council to the Regional Development Agencies (RfR1) voted expenditure in respect of the Train to Gain programme;
	ix) increase in voted receipts for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills of £6,211,000 from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, offset by an increase in the UK Commission for Employment and Skills non-voted resource DEL;
	x) increase in voted receipts for the Student Loans Company of £503,000 from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, offset by an increase in the Student Loans Company non-voted resource DEL;
	xi) increase in voted receipts for the Higher Education Funding Council for England of £2,344,000 from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, offset by an increase in the Higher Education Funding Council for England non-voted resource DEL;
	xii) increase in voted receipts for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills of £1,300,000 from the Department for Work and Pensions, offset by an increase in the UK Commission for Employment and Skills non-voted resource DEL;
	xiii) increase in voted receipts for the Higher Education Funding Council for England of £502,000 from the Department of Health, offset by an increase in the Higher Education Funding Council for England non-voted resource DEL;
	xiv) increase in voted receipts for Investors in People (IiP) of £70,000 from the Department of Health, offset by an increase in the Investors in People (liP) non-voted resource DEL;
	xv) increase in voted receipts for the Commission for Employment and Skills of £250,000 from the Cabinet Office, offset by an increase in the Commission for Employment and Skills non-voted resource DEL;
	xvi) increase in voted receipts for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills of £566,000 from the devolved Administration for Scotland, offset by an increase in the UK Commission for Employment and Skills non-voted resource DEL;
	xvii) increase in voted receipts for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills of £373,000 from the devolved Administration for Wales, offset by an increase in the UK Commission for Employment and Skills non-voted resource DEL;
	xviii) increase in voted receipts for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills of £243,000 from the devolved administration for Northern Ireland, offset by an increase in the UK Commission for Employment and Skills non-voted resource DEL;
	xix) virement of £24,943,000 from voted to non-voted expenditure relating to the Learning and Skills Council;
	xx) virement of £374,000 from non-voted to voted expenditure relating to the Higher Education Funding Council for England;
	xxi) virement of £1,260,000 from non-voted to voted expenditure relating to the Student Loans Company;
	xxii) virement of £2,461,000 from voted to non-voted expenditure relating to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills;
	xxiii) virement of £32,000 from voted to non-voted expenditure relating to the Sector Skills Development Agency;
	xxiv) transfer of £400,000 from the Department for Children, Schools and Families for the College Sector.
	The change in the Capital element of the DEL arises from: RfR1
	i) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £14,131,000 voted and £10,080,000 non-voted in respect of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation and central programmes;
	ii) virement of £2,500,000 from non-voted Regional Development Agency expenditure to voted expenditure in respect of British Shipbuilders;
	iii) virement of £7,300,000 from voted Strategic Investment Fund expenditure to non-voted resource expenditure in respect of the Technology Strategy Board;
	iv) transfer of £25,000,000 from the Department of Energy and Climate Change in respect of the Low Carbon Buildings programme;
	v) transfer of £2,100,000 of non-voted expenditure from the Department of Energy and Climate Change in respect of the Fuel Cells and Hydrocarbon demonstration programme funded through the Technology Strategy Board;
	vi) £18,000,000 increase in Small Firms Loan Guarantee expenditure (funded by a reduction in the non-voted RfR2 Departmental Unallocated Provision in part repayment of a loan made from non-Science to Science in 2007);
	RfR2
	i) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £47,676,000 voted and £644,053,000 non-voted in respect of Science programmes;
	ii) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of £175,840,000 non-voted in respect of the Departmental Unallocated Provision;
	iii) virement of £2,000,000 non-voted Departmental Unallocated provision to voted expenditure by the British Academy;
	iv) reduction of £18,000,000 in the non-voted Departmental Unallocated Provision in part repayment of a loan made from non-Science to Science in 2007 (utilised to fund increased RfR1 Small Firms Loan Guarantee expenditure);
	v) reduction of £25,000,000 in the non-voted Departmental Unallocated Provision in part repayment of a loan made from non-Science to Science in 2007 (utilised to fund an RfR1 transfer to the Department for Communities and Local Government in respect of the "Building Britain's Future" Housing Pledge).
	RfR3
	i) a Machinery of Government transfer from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills of a net negative £198,000,000 voted and £1,953,328,000 non-voted in respect of Education programmes;
	ii) virement of £10,000,000 to non-voted capital from non-voted resource in respect of the Learning and Skills Council.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Davies of Oldham: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Ben Bradshaw) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
	Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased by £85,705,000 from £1,974,663,000 to £2,060,368,000 and the administration budget will increase by £6,926,000 from £48,207,000 to £55,133,000. Within the DEL change the impact on resource and capital are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Departmental Expenditure Limits and Administration Budgets 
			  Change  New DEL  £'000 
			  Voted Non-voted Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource DEL 9,696 -1,491 103,335 1,585,502 1,688,837 
			 of which:  
			 Administration budget* 6,926 - 55,133 - 55,133 
			 Near-cash in RDEL 9,696 -1,491 93,956 1,357,881 1,451,837 
			 Capital** 585 76,915 -784,204 1,266,104 481,900 
			 Less Depreciation*** - 1,631 -6,405 -103,964 -110,369 
			 Total 10,281 77,055 -687,274 2,747,642 2,060,368 
		
	
	* The total of 'Administration budget' and 'Near-cash in Resource DEL' figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	*** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from:
	Take up of £7,179,000 End Year flexibility comprising: (£3,000,000) UK Film; (£879,000) Central DCMS Invest to Save Budget (ISB); and £3,300,000 Administration budget.
	Transfers from other Government Departments of: £800,000 from Department for International Development for International Inspirations; and £226,000 from Cabinet Office to cover baseline costs of the Parliamentary Counsel.
	The administration cost limit has increased by £6,926,000 from £48,207,000 to £55,133,000. This is as a result of a transfer from Cabinet Office of £226,000 detailed above; take up of £3,300,000 Administration End Year Flexibility and an agreed transfer of £3,400,000 from programme to administration costs.
	The capital element of the DEL has increased by £77,500,000 reflecting take up of End Year Flexibility by the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Davies of Oldham: My honourable friend the Minister for Rural Affairs and Environment (Dan Norris) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
	Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs DEL will be reduced by £4,566,000 (0.14%) from £3,153,699,000 to £3,149,133,000. The Administration Budget remains unchanged at £304,296,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
	
		
			 £'000s Change New DEL 
			  Voted Non-voted Total Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource -1,258 1,633 375 4,001,027 -1,292,020 2,709,007 
			 of which:   
			 Administration Budget - - - 304,296 - 304,296 
			 Near-cash in Resource DEL -1,258 1,633 375 3,748,889 -1,375,314 2,373,575 
			 Capital -4,400 - -4,400 270,376 394,139 664,515 
			 Depreciation* -541 - -541 -125,270 -99,119 -224,389 
			 Total -6,199 1,633 -4,566 4,146,133 -997,000 3,149,133 
		
	
	* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The change in the resource element of the DEL of £375,000 arises from (i) a transfer of £233,000 programme spend from the Department for Communities and Local Government for an inventory of former mining waste sites in England; (ii) take up of programme End Year Flexibility for the "Need it/Build it" Invest to Save Budget (ISB) of £142,000.
	There has also been a transfer within the resource element of the DEL of £1,633,000 from voted to non-voted. This relates to budget transfers from the core Department (voted) to the Department's Non-Departmental Public Bodies (non-voted).
	The change in the capital element of the DEL of -£4,400,000 arises from a transfer of £4,400,000 to the Department of Energy and Climate Change for the Waste and Resources Action Programme.
	The change in the depreciation budget of -£541,000 relates to the creation of the Food and Environment Research Agency.

Department for International Development: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Brett: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development has made the following Statement.
	As a consequence of budgetary transfers associated with the Winter Supplementary Estimates, the Department for International Development's total departmental expenditure limit will be reduced by £27,786,000 from £6,785,560,000 to £6,757,774,000. Within the total DEL change, the impact on Resource and Capital is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 £'000 Change  New  DEL   
			  Voted Non Voted Voted Non Voted Total 
			 Resource DEL - (27,536) 4,299,064 1,112,960 5,412,024 
			 Of which:*  
			 Administration Budget - 1,000 156,609 3,341 159,950 
			 Near-cash in RDEL - (27,536) 4,204,064 1,112,960 5,317,024 
			 Capital DEL - (250) 1,356,000 9,750 1,365,750 
			 Less Depreciation** - - (20,000) - (20,000) 
			 Total DEL - (27,786) 5,635,064 1,122,710 6,757,774 
		
	
	* The total of 'Administration budget' and 'Near-cash in Resource DEL' figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	** Depreciation, which forms part of the resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL, since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of these assets would lead to double counting.
	The net change in the Resource element of DEL arises from:
	Additions
	£500,000 transferred to DfID from the Ministry of Defence in relation to Stabilisation Unit.
	£500,000 transferred to DfID from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to Stabilisation Unit.
	£6,729,000 transferred to DfID from the Ministry of Defence in relation to Conflict Prevention Pool.
	Reductions
	£6,000,000 transferred from DfID to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to the Returns and Reintegration Fund.
	£800,000 transferred from DfID to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in relation to London 2012 International Inspiration.
	£11,500,000 transferred from DfID to Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to Conflict Prevention in Afghanistan.
	£15,465,000 transferred from DfID to Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to Conflict Prevention Pool.
	£1,500,000 transferred from DfID to Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to Conflict Prevention in Sri Lanka.
	The net change in the Capital element of DEL arises from:
	Reductions
	£250,000 transferred from DfID to Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to refurbishment of shared Delhi office.

Department for Transport: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Adonis: Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary estimate, the Department for Transport departmental expenditure limit (DEL) for 2009-10 will be decreased by £301,000,000 from £14,438,677,000 to £14,137,677,000 and the administration budget will remain at £275,172,000.
	Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital, are as set out in the following table:
	
		
			 £'000  
			   Change   New DEL 
			  Voted Non-voted Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource +20,917 +28,583 5,795,010 652,544 6,447,554 
			 Of which  
			 Administration budget 0 0 274,672 500 275,172 
			 Near-cash in RDEL +20,722 +28,778 5,423,325 681,229 6,104,554 
			 Capital -291,447 -58,553 6,820,737 1,142,865 7,963,602 
			 Depreciation(1) -500 0 -241,705 -31,774 -273,479 
			 Total -271,030 -29,970 12,374,042 1,763,635 14,137,677 
		
	
	(1) Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL, since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	Resource Change: Programme (total increase of £49,500,000)
	Voted: total net increase of £20,917,000RfR1
	Net transfer of £21,417,000 from non voted provision as follows:
	£23,222,000 near cash for payments to Transport for London in respect of ITSO;£195,000 non cash for cost of capital charges; partially offset by£2,000,000 near cash to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for Vehicle Excise Duty enforcement work; and
	Transfer of £500,000 near cash from the Royal Travel budget to the Ministry of Defence in respect of continuing squadron 32 services to the Royal Household.
	Non-Voted: total net increase of £28,583,000
	Take up of £50,000,000 end year flexibility to fund the disbursement costs associated with the restructuring of London and Continental Railways; partially offset by
	Net transfer of £21,417,000 to voted provision of which £21,222,000 is near cash and £195,000 non cash.
	Capital Change: (total net decrease of £350,000,000)
	Voted: total net decrease of £291,447,000 RfR1
	Transfer of £350,000,000 to Department for Communities and Local Government in respect of the Building Britain's Future initiative; partially offset by
	Net transfer of £58,553,000 from non voted provision as follows;
	£50,000,000 from departmental unallocated provision to be included within £350,000,000 transfer to Department for Communities and Local Government in respect of Building Britain's Future;£18,053,000 Supported Capital Expenditure (Resource) reclassified as capital grants; partially offset by £9,500,000 to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for various projects.
	Non-Voted: total net decrease of £58,553,000
	A net transfer of £58,553,000 to voted provision.

Department for Work and Pensions: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord McKenzie of Luton: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Yvette Cooper) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department for Work and Pensions Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit will decrease by £166,843,000 to £8,805,256,000 and the Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit will increase by £207,762,000 to £284,517,000. The Administration budget will decrease by £160,512,000 to £6,204,337,000.
	
		
			  Change £k   New Departmental Expenditure Limit £k   
			  Voted Non-voted Total Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource -838,686 671,843 -166,843 5,880,783 2,924,473 8,805,256 
			 of which:   
			 Administration -842,936 682,424 -160,512 4,800,729 1,403,608 6,204,337 
			 Near-cash -918,863 680,653 -238,210 5,619,053 2,957,899 8,576,952 
			 Capital 207,828 -66 207,762 283,709 808 284,517 
			 Depreciation1 -68,076 329 -67,747 -234,194 -1,105 -235,299 
			 Total DEL -698,934 672,106 -26,828 5,930,298 2,924,176 8,854,474 
		
	
	1 Depreciation, which forms part of resource Departmental Expenditure Limit, is excluded from the total Departmental Expenditure Limit since the capital Departmental Expenditure Limit includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit
	The change in the resource element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit arises from:
	Movements in Voted Expenditure
	Request for Resources 1
	i. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In RfR1 this has led to a reduction in DEL Resource of £132,679,000.
	Request for Resources 2
	ii. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In RfR2 this has led to a reduction in DEL Resource of £768,861,000.
	iii. A budget transfer of £4,720,000 to the Ministry of Justice to fund increased activity through the courts relating to child maintenance, following repeal of Section 6 of the Child Support Act 1991.
	iv. A budget transfer of £8,600,000 to the Ministry of Justice to meet the costs associated with increased Employment and Support Allowance appeals.
	v. A budget transfer of £5,759,000 to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills relating to the self-employment option of the Government's Six Month Offer.
	vi. A budget transfer of £572,000 to the Department for Children, Schools and Families in respect of the Child Poverty Unit.
	Request for Resources 3
	vii. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In RfR3 this has led to a reduction in DEL Resource of £117,497,000.
	viii. A budget transfer of £440,000 to the Department for Communities and Local Government in respect of Older People's Engagement.
	Request for Resources 4
	ix. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In RfR4 this has led to a reduction in DEL Resource of £53,215,000.
	Request for Resources 5
	x. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In RfR5 this has led to an increase in DEL Resource of £242,700,000.
	xi. A budget transfer of £376,000 from the Cabinet Office to enable the department to meet additional costs incurred by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.
	Movements in Non-Voted Expenditure
	xii. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This has led to an increase in non-voted DEL Resource of £682,424,000.
	xiii. A decrease in non-voted expenditure of £806,000 offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £806,000 relating to decreased spend of Working Ventures (UK) Limited.
	xiv. A decrease in non-voted expenditure of £2,774,000 offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £2,774,000 relating to decreased spend of the Independent Living Fund.
	xv. An increase in non-voted expenditure of £172,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £172,000 relating to increased spend of the Pensions Advisory Service.
	xvi. An increase in non-voted expenditure of £261,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £261,000 relating to increased spend of the Pensions Ombudsman.
	xvii. A decrease in non-voted expenditure of £7,796,000 offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £7,796,000 relating to decreased spend of the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority.
	xviii. An increase in non-voted expenditure of £431,000 offset by a decrease in voted expenditure of £431,000 relating to increased spend of the Pensions Regulator.
	xix. A decrease in non-voted expenditure of £69,000 offset by an increase in voted expenditure of £69,000 relating to the alignment of internal plans.
	Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit
	The change in the capital element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit arises from:
	Movements in Voted Expenditure
	Request for Resources 2
	xx. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In RfR2 this has led to an increase in DEL Capital of £52,336,000.
	Request for Resources 3
	xxi. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In RfR3 this has led to an increase in DEL Capital of £5,913,000.
	Request for Resources 5
	xxii. Classification changes as a result of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In RfR5 this has led to an increase in DEL Capital of £149,513,000.
	Movements in Non-Voted Expenditure
	xxiii. A decrease in non-voted capital expenditure of £9,000 offset by an increase in voted capital expenditure of £9,000 relating to decreased spend of the Pensions Advisory Service.
	xxiv. An increase in non-voted capital expenditure of £213,000 offset by a decrease in voted capital expenditure of £213,000 relating to decreased spend of the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority.
	xxv. A decrease in non-voted capital expenditure of £270,000 offset by an increase in voted capital expenditure of £270,000 relating to decreased spend of the Pensions Regulator
	Administration Costs
	The movement in the Administration Cost limit arises from the changes to the Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit as noted in items i to iv, and vii to xii above.

Department of Energy and Climate Change: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My right honourable friend the Minister for Energy and Climate Change (Ed Miliband) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
	Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department of Energy and Climate Change Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will decrease by £22,700,000 from £3,125,377,000 to £3,102,677,000.
	Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
	
		
			 £'000 Change New DEL 
			  Voted Non-Voted Voted Non-Voted Total 
			 Resource DEL 39,044 -39,044 -704,781 1,809,944 1,105,163 
			 Of which:  
			 Administration Budget† - - 93,512 - 93,512 
			 Near Cash in Resource DEL * 39,044 -39,044 -728,313 1,854,438 1,126,125 
			 Capital DEL ** -144,129 121,429 682,201 1,322,404 2,004,605 
			 Less Depreciation *** - - -2,987 -4,104 -7,091 
			 Total DEL -105,085 82,385 -25,567 Three,128,244 3,102,677 
		
	
	* The total of 'Administration Budget' and 'Near Cash in Resource DEL' figures may well be greater than total Resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	*** Depreciation, which forms part of Resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL in the table above, since Capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	Resource DEL
	The Resource element of the DEL remains unchanged with an increase in the voted element of Resource DEL of £39,044,000 offset by a decrease of £39,044,000 in the non-voted element of Resource DEL.
	Voted Resource DEL
	The £39,044,000 increase in the voted element of Resource DEL arises from:
	A decrease of £34,043,000 in Nuclear Decommissioning Authority operating appropriations-in-aid;
	A transfer from non-voted Resource DEL of £5,001,000.
	Non-voted Resource DEL
	The £39,044,000 decrease in non-voted Resource DEL arises from:
	A decrease of £34,043,000 in Nuclear Decommissioning Authority DEL offsetting the reduction in appropriations-in-aid;
	A transfer to voted Resource DEL of £5,001,000.
	Capital DEL
	The decrease in the Capital element of the DEL of £22,700,000 arises from a decrease in the voted element of Capital DEL of £144,129,000 and an increase of £121,429,000 in the non-voted element of Capital DEL.
	Voted Capital DEL
	The £144,129,000 decrease in the voted element of Capital DEL arises from:
	A transfer from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of £4,400,000 for Anaerobic Digestion;
	A transfer to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills of £25,000,000 for the UK Innovation Investment Fund;
	A transfer to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for the Technology Strategy Board of £2,100,000 for the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Demonstration Programme;
	A transfer from non-voted Capital DEL. of £170,000;
	An increase of £121,599,000 in Nuclear Decommissioning Authority non-operating appropriations-in-aid.
	Non-voted Capital DEL
	The £121,429,000 increase in the non-voted element of Capital DEL arises from:
	A transfer to voted Capital DEL of £170,000;
	An increase of £121,599,000 in Nuclear Decommissioning Authority DEL offsetting the increase in non-operating appropriations-in-aid.

Department of Health: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Baroness Thornton: My right honourable friend the Minister of State, Department of Health (Mike O'Brien) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the Department of Health's element of the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will increase by £14,089,000 from £105,335,865,000 to £105,349,954,000. The Administration Cost Limit remains unchanged at £213,765,000. The Food Standards Agency DEL increases by £1,000 from £134,986,000 to £134,987,000. The overall DEL including the Food Standards Agency will increase by £14,090,000 from £105,470,851,000 to £105,484,941,000. The impact on resource and capital are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Change  New DEL   
			  Voted £m Non voted £m Voted £m Non voted £m Total £m 
			 Department of Health  
			 Resource DEL, of which 870.364 -684.275 101,418.953 -1,469.853 99,949.100 
			 Administration Budget* - - 213.765 - 213.765 
			 Near-cash in Resource DEL 870.364 -684.275 96,678.684 -180.133 96,498.551 
			 Capital DEL - -172.000 2,638.505 2,762.349 5,400.854 
			 Total Department of Health DEL 870.364 -856.275 104,057.458 1,292.496 105,349.954 
			 Depreciation** - - -933.003 -67.744 -1,000.747 
			 Total Department of Health spending (after adjustment) 870.364 -856.275 103,124.455 1,224.752 104,349.207 
			 Food Standards Agency  
			 Resource DEL, of which 0.001 - 134.371 - 134.371 
			 Administration Budget* 0.001 - 49.894 - 49.894 
			 Near-cash in Resource DEL 0.001 - 131.698 - 131.698 
			 Capital DEL - - 616 - 616 
			 Total Food Standards Agency DEL 0.001 - 134.987 - 134.987 
			 Depreciation** - - -1.908 - -1.908 
			 Total Food Standards Agency spending (after adjustment)  - 133.079 - 133.079 
		
	
	The Department of Health DEL has increased by £14,089,000 made up of:
	£60,000 for additions to Invest to Save Budget awards. a net transfer of £12,633,000 from the Ministry of Justice mainly for prison healthcare services;a transfer of £1,396,000 from the Home Office as the department's share of a contribution to the migration impact fund; anda transfer of £172,000,000 from Capital DEL to Revenue DEL as a result of the budgeting treatment of some pandemic flu items.
	The Department of Health's administration cost limit remains unchanged at £213,765,000.
	The change to the Food Standards Agency element of the DEL is due to a token increase in FSA resource administration cost of £1,000 to allow for an increase in the net cash requirement and additional appropriations in aid.
	Notes:
	* The total of "administration budget" and "Near cash in Resource DEL" figures may well be greater that the total resource DEL, due to definitions overlapping.
	** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since the capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

Electoral Register

Lord Bach: My right honourable friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Michael Wills) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement in the other place:
	I am today publishing the consultation paper on the future of the edited register (CP 46/09). In October 2007, the Prime Minister announced that he had asked Dr Mark Walport, the director of the Wellcome Trust and Richard Thomas, the then Information Commissioner, to undertake an independent review of the framework for the use of personal information in the public and private sectors.
	Their final report was published as the Data Sharing Review on 11 July 2008 and recommended various specific measures that the authors considered needed to be taken to increase public trust and confidence in the handling and processing of personal data by both the public and private sectors. The Government have already taken on board many of the review's recommendations, including, for example, strengthening the powers and penalties available to the Information Commissioner.
	Recommendation 19 of the report covered the edited version of the electoral register which, since 2002, has been available for sale to anyone for any purpose. People are free to opt out of inclusion in the edited register if they so wish. Nevertheless, the Data Sharing Review recommended that the Government should remove the provision allowing the sale of the edited electoral register and that it should therefore be abolished.
	The report's authors argued that it sends a poor message to the public that personal information collected for something as vital as participation in the democratic process could be sold on to "anyone for any purpose" and that the sale of the edited register may deter some people from registering to vote at all.
	The Government take the issues of data protection, the privacy of citizens and democratic engagement, including electoral registration, very seriously. It is for these reasons that the Government committed, in their response to the Data Sharing Review, to consult on the future of the edited register. However, abolition of the edited register could have an impact on those businesses, charities and others that currently use it. The Government therefore do not wish to make a final decision to act until they have considered carefully the available evidence about the potential impact of abolition.
	It is hoped that the consultation I am publishing today will elicit detailed evidence and information from a wide range of sources on the potential impact of abolition, which will help to inform future policy decisions about the edited register. The wide range of options proposed in the consultation paper provides a variety of potential approaches to the future of the edited register and the Government invite views on all of them.
	The consultation shall run for a period of three months and closes on 23 February 2010.
	A copy of the consultation paper and impact assessment has been placed in the Library of the House.

EU: Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council

Baroness Thornton: My honourable friend the Minister of State, Department of Health (Gillian Merron) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will meet on 30 November and 1 December. The Health and Consumer Affairs part of the council will be taken on 1 December.
	Items on the main agenda are: patients' rights in cross-border healthcare; incentives for effective antibiotics, e-health; the three aspects of the pharmaceutical package (proposals to reduce the threat from counterfeit medicines, strengthening of Community pharmacovigilance and information on prescription medicines to patients); alcohol and health; smoke-free environments; seasonal influenza vaccination and information from the presidency and the Commission on pandemic H1N1 following the council meeting on 12 October, together with a discussion on lessons learnt on H1N1 preparedness and future challenges faced.
	The presidency propose to ask Ministers to reach political agreement on the directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. The presidency also propose to adopt council conclusions on innovative incentives for effective antibiotics, safe and efficient healthcare through e-health and alcohol and health. They also propose to adopt a council recommendation on smoke-free environments. The UK can support the adoption of these proposals.
	Although the main agenda currently proposes the adoption of a recommendation on seasonal influenza vaccination, this is still at an early stage in negotiation and we anticipate that adoption at this forthcoming council will not be possible.
	Under any other business, information will be provided from the presidency on a directive on standards of quality and safety of human organs intended for transplantation. Information will also be provided on Commission communications on cancer, combating HIV/AIDS in the EU and neighbouring countries and reducing health inequalities in the EU.

EU: General Affairs and External Relations Council

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: My honourable friend the Minister for Europe (Chris Bryant) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) was held on 16 and 17 November in Brussels. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for International Development (Mike Foster), my noble friend the Minister of State for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor) and I represented the UK.
	The agenda items covered were as follows:
	 General Affairs
	The full text of conclusions adopted, including "A" points, can be found at: http://www.consilium.europa. eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/gena/111231.pdf
	 Preparation of the 10-11 December European Council
	The European Council will focus on economic and financial issues, climate change and external issues. The Government are broadly content with the presidency's draft agenda.
	On economic and financial issues, I noted the importance of addressing the issues of most concern to citizens, especially jobs and economic growth. I also said that the UK was in favour of more and better international financial supervision so long as this protected the fiscal autonomy of member states.
	Ministers' discussion of climate change focused on the Copenhagen conference on 7-18 December. The presidency concluded that the EU position remained as agreed by heads at the October European Council.
	On external relations, the UK suggested that Iran should be added to the European Council agenda.
	19 November informal European Council
	The presidency set out their plans for the informal European Council on 19 November, which has since taken decisions on the new President of the European Council and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
	Post-2010 Lisbon Strategy
	The Commission introduced a reflection paper on the future of the Lisbon strategy for jobs and growth after 2010. The paper set out four priorities: creating value by basing growth on knowledge; empowering people and fighting exclusion; creating a competitive greener economy; and making Europe mobile and connected. The paper proposed that the European Council should steer the strategy and set objectives, and the Commission should undertake a yearly review of progress. The presidency sought views on these ideas.
	I noted the need to draw a line under the process of treaty reform so that the Union could address the issues of most concern to citizens across Europe; namely jobs, competitiveness with emerging economies and individual economic opportunities. Member states needed to address these issues in a united fashion, maintaining the fiscal stimulus until such time as growth was established. I said that the Government supported the Commission's paper, except for two points: we wanted it to emphasise more clearly the need to open markets yet further and to avoid protectionism; and to promote and deepen the single market.
	The presidency concluded that they would take Ministers' comments into account in the formulation of the December European Council conclusions, and looked forward to finalisation of the strategy under the Spanish presidency.
	 EU Sustainable Development Strategy
	The presidency invited member states to consider which areas should be priorities for the future of the sustainable development strategy, and how implementation and monitoring of the strategy could be improved. The Commission confirmed that four priorities had emerged since its communication was published in July:the move to a low carbon, low input economy; protection of biodiversity, water and other natural resources; social inclusion; and the international dimension.
	The presidency concluded that it would take Ministers' views into account in its preparations for the December European Council. The Government welcome the sustainable development strategy, and want to ensure that it is well co-ordinated with other EU strategies such as the Lisbon strategy.
	 External Relations
	The full text of all conclusions adopted can be found at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/gena/111287.pdf.
	Afghanistan
	The special representative of the UN Secretary-General, Kai Eide, briefed Ministers on the situation while underscoring the challenges and need for a greater sense of shared priorities amongst the international community. The UK has reiterated its offer to use London as a venue for a possible international conference on Afghanistan.
	Russia
	The presidency ran through the issues for the EU-Russia summit on 18-19 November. I stressed that it was important to maintain a regular and respectful dialogue with Russia, but that the EU should be robust in defending its interests and speaking with one voice to send clear messages. Following a wide-ranging discussion, the presidency concluded that the priorities for the summit were: climate change, energy, WTO/trade issues, human rights and the common neighbourhood.
	Ukraine
	The presidency said that at the EU-Ukraine summit on 4 December they would urge Ukraine: to get the IMF programme back on track; to ensure funding mechanisms were in place to pay its gas bills; to conduct free and fair presidential elections; and as soon as possible to undertake constitutional reform. I stressed the need to push Ukraine hard on compliance with the conditions attached to the IMF programme.
	 MEPP
	High Representative Solana briefed Ministers on the latest state of play on the region. The presidency said the EU needed to continue working on how it could practically support a settlement, in case prospects improved, and continue to support the Fayyad plan. The Government broadly support the presidency's approach.
	 Somalia
	The presidency dropped this item from the external relations agenda. However, EU Defence Ministers did discuss Somalia at their informal meeting, as reported below.
	AOB: European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) civilian capabilities
	The presidency emphasised that the development of civilian capabilities was of critical importance to ESDP and to the EU's ability to operate as a global actor. The Government strongly support this position.
	 AOB: Belarus
	Latvia debriefed Ministers on a recent visit to Minsk, and concluded that the EU should continue to monitor the behaviour of the Belarusian authorities, and assess its policy on the basis of progress against agreed human rights benchmarks. Ministers adopted conclusions, which the Government broadly welcome, prolonging restrictive measures against certain officials until October 2010 while suspending the visa ban for the same period.
	Joint Session of EU Foreign and Defence Ministers
	Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH): Operation Althea
	The presidency updated Ministers on the current EU/US "Butmir" initiative to increase the pace of reform in BiH, and said that the political situation was likely to remain tense throughout the current talks and the elections in autumn 2010. In this context, the presidency introduced a discussion of the future of EUFOR Operation Althea by setting out the options available. The presidency concluded that it was too early to take a decision, but that Ministers would return to the issue at the December GAERC. The Government continue to support the ongoing presence of EUFOR in BiH.
	ESDP
	Foreign and Defence Ministers agreed a declaration marking the tenth anniversary of ESDP and a wide-ranging set of conclusions, which the Government support, including on EUFOR Operation Althea, a possible Somalia training mission (see below), civilian capability development, and EU/NATO defence planning coherence.
	Informal meeting with NATO Secretary-General
	Foreign and Defence Ministers held an informal session with NATO Secretary-General Rasmussen, focusing on Afghanistan. Rasmussen stressed the need to focus on a gradual transfer of responsibility to the Afghans; to hold the new Afghan Government to account; and to increase European efforts to match those of the US.
	Joint session of EU Foreign and Development Ministers
	Afghanistan and democracy support in EU external relations
	The special representative of the UN Secretary-General, Kai Eide, took part in this session. Ministers highlighted Afghanistan as an example of the need for a more co-ordinated and coherent EU approach to democracy support for third countries, which the Government strongly support, using all available EU instruments. All member states agreed on the need to respect and build Afghan ownership for development and democracy building. Eide urged the EU not to impose solutions but to work towards Afghanistan's own priorities of agriculture and rural development, infrastructure and education.
	The UK emphasised the importance of involving regional players, and argued that the approach needed to be fully comprehensive so as to deliver security for the EU alongside benefits to the Afghan people.
	 Meeting of EU Defence Ministers
	Defence Ministers, meeting in their capacity as the European Defence Agency (EDA) steering board, agreed: the EDA budget for 2010; the launch of a European helicopter training programme; a letter of intent on a European air transport fleet (which the UK and some other member states did not sign); and a declaration on a level playing field for the European defence equipment market, which the Government support. High Representative Solana also gave a report on EDA activities.
	Defence Ministers discussed Somalia during an informal meeting. Operation Commander Rear Admiral Hudson (Royal Navy) briefed on Operation Atalanta's continuing success against pirates, explaining that while there were still some successful attacks, the majority of the vessels affected had failed to follow best practice for self-protection. Ministers commended the operation. My noble friend Lady Taylor said that the UK remained committed to Atalanta and to providing the operation HQ for 2010.
	High Representative Solana stressed the urgency of helping Somalia's transitional federal Government by training its security forces in close co-ordination with the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the US. The commission made clear its commitment to supporting a possible training mission with a contribution to costs. Some member states offered to contribute personnel and lead the mission. My noble friend Lady Taylor said there should be no illusions about the challenges of working in the region; before making a final decision on the mission, we needed the key questions to be properly answered.
	Ministers also had a general discussion of implementation of the ESDP-related provisions of the Lisbon treaty.
	Meeting of EU Development Ministers
	The UK secured Development Ministers' support for our proposals for the commission to take on a strengthened role in monitoring official development assistance (ODA) performance and for the European Council to monitor EU ODA on a regular basis. The UK strongly emphasised the importance of additionality of climate finance over ODA, and secured agreement that Ministers would revert to this issue next year.
	Ministers also discussed how to achieve progress on the EU's commitments on aid effectiveness, and agreed an operational framework to that end in conclusions. Other items discussed were policy coherence for development, on which the Spanish presidency and Commission briefed on the forthcoming work programme; and budget support, on which Ministers discussed the need for a future dialogue on a co-ordinated EU approach.
	"A" Points
	The Council adopted conclusions or decisions, without discussion, on: Council conclusions on an integrated maritime policy; Council conclusions on freedom of religion or belief; conclusions on democracy support; conclusions on policy coherence for development; a Council decision on conclusion of an agreement with Russia on exchange of classified information; conclusions on the use of EU battlegroups; conclusions forwarding the application by the Republic of Albania for membership of the European Union to the Commission for an avis; conclusions on Belarus highlighting prolongation of the restrictive measures in place against certain officials until October 2010 and suspension of the visa ban for the same period; draft Council guidelines for the European Defence Agency's work in 2010; and approval of the European Defence Agency budget.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (David Miliband) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be increased by £104,995,000 from £2,141,898,000 to £2,246,893,000. The administration budget will be increased by £6,500,000 from £420,345,000 to £426,845,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Change £000  New DEL £000   
			  Voted Non-Voted Voted Non-Voted Total 
			 Resource 121,745 -17,000 2,130,633 3,000 2,133,633 
			 Of which:  
			 Administration budget * 23,500 -17,000 426,845 - 426,845 
			 Near-cash in Resource DEL 81,745 -17,000 1,920,579 16,000 1,936,579 
			 Capital** 250 - 216,310 - 216,310 
			 Depreciation*** - - -103,050 - -103,050 
			 Total 121,995 -17,000 2,243,893 3,000 2,246,893 
		
	
	* The total of Administration budget and Near-cash in Resource DEL figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and Accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	*** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from:
	Request for Resources 1
	Administration
	An increase of £4,500,000 administration costs in respect of the impact of the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on FCO Capital charges (non-cash).
	An increase of £2,000,000 administration costs in respect of take-up of End Year Flexibility (EYF) for FCO Capital charges (non-cash).
	Programme
	An increase of £22,500,000 other current costs in respect of the impact of the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on FCO Capital charges (non-cash).
	An increase of £11,000,000 other current costs in respect of take-up of End Year Flexibility (EYF) for FCO Capital charges (non-cash).
	A claim on the Resource DEL Reserve of £8,000,000 other current in respect of modernisation of the FCO Corporate Services.
	A transfer of £6,000,000 other current programme from DfID in respect of the Returns and Reintegration Fund.
	A Transfer of £500,000 other current programme to DfID in respect of the Stabilisation Unit.
	Capital
	A transfer of £250,000 capital from DfID in respect of New Delhi shared accommodation.
	Request for Resources 2
	Programme
	A transfer of £15,465,000 grants from DfID in respect of Stabilisation and Conflict Prevention.
	A transfer of £14,000,000 grants from MoD in respect of Stabilisation and Conflict Prevention.
	A transfer of £11,500,000 grants from DfID in respect of the Helmand uplift for Stabilisation and Conflict Prevention.
	A transfer of £6,500,000 grants from MoD in respect of the Helmand uplift for Stabilisation and Conflict Prevention.
	A claim on the Resource DEL Reserve of £3,430,000 grants in respect of take-up of balance of Peacekeeping funds.
	A transfer of £1,500,000 grants from DfID in respect of Stabilisation and Conflict Prevention in Sri Lanka.
	A transfer of £1,150,000 grants to the Security and Intelligence Agencies in respect of expansion and capability.

Government Equalities Office: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My honourable friend the Deputy Minister for Women and Equality (Maria Eagle) has made the following Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Government Equalities Office Departmental Expenditure Limit will reduce by £5,019,000 from £85,201,000 to £80,182,000 and the administration budget will increase by £1,600,000 from £8,005,000 to £9,605,000.
	Within the Departmental Expenditure Limit change, the impact on resource and capital is as set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Change £k   New Departmental Expenditure Limit £k   
			  Voted Non-voted Total Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource 3,001 -3,000 1 17,806 60,960 78,766 
			 of which:   
			 Administration 1,600 - 1 9,605 -  
			 Near-cash 3,001 -3,000 - 17,806 60,651 78,455 
			 Capital  -5,020-   1,980 1,980 
			 Depreciation1 - -   -564 -564 
			 Total 3,001 -8,020 -5,019 17,806 62,376 80,182 
		
	
	1 Depreciation, which forms part of resource Departmental Expenditure Limit, is excluded from the total Departmental Expenditure Limit since the capital Departmental Expenditure Limit includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit
	The change in the Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit arises from a token increase to the administration forecast, where a department's expenditure within the Estimate is wholly offset by income, so that a token amount of £1,000 is voted.
	Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit
	The decrease in the capital DEL reflects the Government Equalities Office surrender of capital funds. These were of little value to either the Government Equalities Office or the Commission for Equality and Human Rights and could be better used elsewhere.
	Administration Costs Limit
	This switch reflects the fact that GEO was established as a separate department at a very late stage in CSR 07, and its budget did not reflect the costs of its standalone status. Successive changes have been made since then to ensure GEO has the right breakdown of money. This completes that process.

Gypsies and Travellers

Lord McKenzie of Luton: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Shahid Malik) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Government have today published the Count of Gypsy and Traveller Caravans on 16 July 2009.
	Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and can be accessed via the Communities and Local Government website at http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/caravancountjul2009.

HM Revenue and Customs: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Myners: My right honourable friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Stephen Timms) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the Supplementary Estimate, the HM Revenue and Customs total DEL will be decreased by £253,820,000 from £4,317,670,000 to £4,063,850,000. Within the total DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
	
		
			  £'000 
			  Change  New DEL   
			  Voted Non-Voted Voted Non-Voted Total 
			 Resource DEL -190,581 -38,387 3,677,851 351,337 4,029,188 
			 Of which:  
			 Administration Budget † -158,804 -42,585 3,957,886 - 3,957,886 
			 Near-cash in RDEL* -179,853 -383,871 3,356,397 385,485 3,741,882 
			 Capital ** -9,522 -3,559 241,633 - 241,633 
			 Less Depreciation *** -11,771 - -206,971 - -206,971 
			 Total DEL 211,874 -41,946 3,712,513 351,337 4,029,188 
		
	
	* The total of "Administration Budget" and "Near-cash in Resource DEL" figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	*** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The change in the resource element of DEL arises primarily from:
	A reduction of £303,166,000 resource (of which £271,389,000 relates to administration costs) due to a Machinery of Government transfer from HMRC to the Home Office as part of the establishment of the UK Border Agency (UKBA).
	The draw down of End Year Flexibility of £70,000,000 administration near cash in accordance with the Public Expenditure outturn White paper (CM 7606).
	The take up of £42,585,000 non-voted Departmental Unallocated Provision as voted administration near cash to facilitate improvements to key operational activities (this is DEL neutral).
	A transfer of £4,198,000 near cash non-voted programme expenditure from the Ministry of Justice for work related to National Insurance benefits.
	The change in the administration budget arises from the specific administration items detailed in the resource element above.
	The change in the capital element of DEL arises from:
	A reduction of £13,081,000 capital due to a Machinery of Government transfer from HMRC to the Home Office as part of the establishment of the UK Border Agency (UKBA).
	The take up of £3,559,000 non-voted Departmental Unallocated Provision as voted capital to facilitate improvements to key operational activities (this is DEL neutral).

HM Treasury: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Myners: My honourable friend the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Sarah McCarty-Fry) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the Winter Supplementary Estimate, HM Treasury's Resource DEL will be increased by £15,000,000 from £215,747,000 to £230,747,000. The administration budget will be increased by £15,000,000 from £165,145,000 to £180,145,000 and the capital DEL will be reduced by £625,000,000 from £781,942,000 to £156,942,000. The impact on resources, including the administration budget, and capital is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Change  New DEL   
			  Voted Non-voted Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource 18,631,000 -3,631,000 209,903,000 20,844,000 230,747,000 
			 of which:  
			 Administration budget* 16,531,000 -1,531,000 180,145,000 - 180,145,000 
			 Near cash in RDEL* 18,631,000 -3,631,000 200,218,000 31,444,000 231,662,000 
			 Capital** -625,000,000 - 154,800,000 2,142,000 156,942,000 
			 Less: Depreciation*** - - -7,915,000 - -7,915,000 
			 Total -606,369,000 -3,631,000 356,788,000 22,986,000 379,774,000 
		
	
	* The total of "Administration budget" and "Near cash in Resource DEL" figures may well be greater than total Resource DEL, due to definitions overlapping.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	*** Depreciation, which forms part of Resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since Capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The net increase in resource DEL and the administration budget of £15,000,000 is the net effect of the take up of administration budget EYF in RfR 1 Section A to fund the costs of the increased workload arising from financial stability work.
	There is a reduction in non-voted DEL of £3,631,000 due to the draw down of Departmental Unallocated Provision (£1,531,000 administration budget and £2,100,000 programme costs) to offset increased voted spending in RfR 1 Section A.
	The capital DEL is being reduced by £625,000,000 following the revision of forecast spending in 2009-10 by the Infrastructure Finance Unit Limited.

Home Office: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord West of Spithead: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Alan Johnson) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Home Office's Departmental Expenditure Limits for 2009-10 will be increased by £265,493,000 from £9,976,727,000 to £10,242,220,000 and the administration budget will be increased by £271,389,000 from £404,151,000 to £675,540,000.
	Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Change  New DEL  £'000 
			  Voted Non-voted Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource DEL 20,584 233,496 8,542,585 1,065,769 9,608,354 
			 of which:  
			 Administration budget* 115,556 155,833 487,410 188,130 675,540 
			 Near cash in RDEL* 9,120 234,232 8,377,062 1,023,065 9,400,127 
			 Capital** (10,819) 18,900 537,261 280,820 818,081 
			 Less depreciation*** 2,683 649 (128,891) (55,324) (184,215) 
			 Total 12,448 253,045 8,950,955 1,291,265 10,242,220 
		
	
	* The total of the 'Administration Budget' and 'Near cash in Resource DEL' figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	*** Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	
		
			£000's 
			 (a) Total o/w near cash o/w Admin 
			 The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from: 254,080 243,352 271,389 
			 Machinery of Government changes: 303,166 292,438 271,389 
			 The United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) was transferred to the Home Office on 1 April 2009. The specific changes relating to this machinery of government transfer from HM Revenue and Customs are:
			 UK Border Agency (section E) 302,658 291,930 270,881 
			 Central Services (section G) 508 508 508 
			 Transfers from other government departments: 489 489 0 
			 Programme from the Ministry of Justice to Police (section A) for the British Crime Survey 489 489  
			 Transfers to other government departments: (49,575) (49,575) 0 
			 Programme from the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism (section D) to the Department for Communities and Local Government's affordable housing programme "Building Britain's Future". (40,000) (40,000)  
			 Programme from Crime reduction and drugs (section B) to cover the Ministry of Justice's additional costs of implementing the provisions of the Violent Crime Reduction Act. (2,358) (2,358)  
			 Programme from the Departmental Unallocated Provision to fund Migration Impact expenditure of the following departments:
			 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. (2,629) (2,629)  
			 Department for Children, Schools and Families. (1,396) (1,396)  
			 Department of Health (1,396) (1,396)  
			 Department for Communities and Local Government. (1,396) (1,396)  
			 Programme from the United Kingdom Border Agency (section E) to the Ministry of Justice for the European Economic Area modelling policy. (252) (252)  
			 Programme from Crime reduction and drugs (section B) to fund the Crown Prosecution Service's additional costs of implementing the provisions of the Violent Crime Reduction Act. (148) (148)  
		
	
	
		
			 (b) Capital Total 
			 The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from: 8,081 
			 Machinery of Government changes: 13,081 
			 The United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) was transferred to the Home Office on 1 April 2009. This machinery of government change from HM Revenue and Customs was transferred to section E. 13,081 
			 Transfers to other government departments: (5,000) 
			 Capital from the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism (section D) to the Department for Communities and Local Government's affordable housing programme "Building Britain's Future". (5,000)

Housing: Zero-carbon Buildings

Lord McKenzie of Luton: My right honourable friend the Minister for Housing and Planning (John Healey) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Government have recognised the serious global risks from climate change and have set in legislation a challenging target to reduce UK carbon emissions by 80 per cent against 1990 levels by 2050. Emissions from the way we heat, cool and power buildings are important in achieving this target: 17 per cent of UK emissions are from non-domestic buildings and 27 per cent from homes. The scale of the challenge means that we need to find ways of reducing emissions from all types of building as part of the UK's transition to a low carbon economy.
	I am today reaffirming the Government's commitment to the ambition for all new non-domestic buildings to be zero carbon from 2019, and publishing a consultation document that sets out policy principles and options for meeting this ambition. I am also setting out our plans for how new public sector buildings could lead the way, building on the work of a cross-departmental task force of government officials. We are seeking views on these options and their implications for viability for individual developments and sectors. The consultation closes on 26 February 2010.
	This follows my Statement in July, when I confirmed the Government's policy that all new homes will be zero carbon from 2016 and announced further details on the definition and standards we will legislate for. One in three of Britain's homes in 2050 will be built between now and then. So today I am also providing an update on the definition and measurement of zero-carbon homes, following the report of a specialist task group.
	Zero carbon non-domestic buildings
	In December 2008 we published a consultation on options to meet the definition of zero carbon, which included some initial thinking about what this could mean for non-domestic buildings. I am announcing today our more detailed proposals and the next steps needed to enable new commercial buildings to be zero carbon from 2019.
	We will adopt the broad framework for zero carbon that has been developed for homes, but adapted appropriately to reflect the differences in the non-domestic buildings market and the variation between non-domestic buildings. This means that, as supported by responses to the 2008 consultation, we will be using the threefold hierarchy of energy efficiency, followed by onsite or linked low and zero-carbon technologies (carbon compliance), followed by primarily offsite allowable solutions.
	The policy will also reflect the important differences in non-domestic buildings, including the much wider variation in building types, locations, and uses, which can impact on both potential solutions and costs. We are therefore proposing that new non-domestic buildings should improve through an approach with differentiated targets to reflect the different potential different buildings have for energy efficiency and for onsite levels of carbon abatement. The consultation seeks views on this approach.
	Non-domestic buildings often have greater potential for onsite renewables (eg more roof space) and to play a central role in the viability of community heat or energy networks. We need to determine the extent to which we encourage use of these opportunities, and the consultation covers these questions. Onsite heat and energy generation will also be eligible for financial assistance under government incentive schemes for small-scale renewable generation, providing future income streams.
	Any carbon not mitigated onsite will be dealt with through a range of good quality allowable solutions. We are proposing that we will bring in some allowable solutions from 2016, alongside the approach for homes, and thus develop a single system for delivery and assurance. This early deployment could help to increase the volume and therefore viability of the allowable solutions market in its early years, and could increase the opportunities for non-domestic developments to contribute to community energy solutions. I have said that I will make a further announcement later about the allowable solutions that will be included.
	For non-domestic buildings, the variation in energy uses is considerably greater than for homes-reflecting the range of different uses for individual building types as well as the range of energy-intensity of different commercial activity. As a minimum, the zero-carbon standard for non-domestic buildings will include 100 per cent of energy uses currently covered by the building regulations (principally space heating, cooling and internal lighting). We are considering in addition a simplified way of accounting for ongoing energy use in the building (such as machinery, refrigeration, or computers), through requiring either 10 or 20 per cent extra improvement on top of regulated energy. The consultation seeks views on this and its potential impact on market viability.
	The public sector can play a significant role in supporting market development of low and zero-carbon buildings. We confirm our ambition from Budget 2008 that the public sector should aim to make the move to zero carbon for new non-domestic buildings by 2018, one year ahead of commercial buildings. The consultation sets out our proposals for a work programme to deliver this.
	I have placed a copy of the consultation document and the detailed impact assessment that accompanies it in the Library of the House.
	Zero carbon homes
	I announced in July that I would set up a specialist task group to examine the energy efficiency metrics and standards that should be part of zero-carbon homes, in order to realise our ambition for the highest practical energy efficiency level realisable in all dwelling types.
	Following an intensive period of analysis and wider involvement of industry, commercial and environmental bodies, the task group has now reported to me. I am grateful to the task group for its excellent work and am placing a copy of its report in the Library of the House.
	The recommendations are for an energy standard that is measured as the amount of energy required to provide space heating and cooling. The proposed standard is 46 kilowatt-hours per square metre per year (kWh/m2/year) for semi-detached and detached homes and 39 kWh/m2/year for all other homes. The further details of what that means are set out in the task group's report.
	I am satisfied that the task group's recommendations strike the right balance between a high level of ambition and a standard that can be realised in practice by 2016. I therefore intend to use this standard within the definition of zero-carbon homes. I will be using our forthcoming consultation on updating the Code for Sustainable Homes to check that there are no unintended consequences from this standard and to seek views on the energy efficiency standard to be adopted in 2013. By aligning our approach to energy efficiency and zero carbon within the code, we will smooth the transition to zero-carbon homes in 2016.
	The task group has made a number of additional recommendations for further research and modelling to support the proposed energy standard. I shall be taking these recommendations forward, in collaboration with the Zero Carbon Hub and other relevant research and industry bodies. One of the particular recommendations is that industry will need design guidance to support the standard. I recognise that industry will need such guidance and will work with industry to produce this.
	I can also announce that the Government-funded Technology Strategy Board is allocating £3.2 million of funding to boost long-term research into how we design and build low carbon homes. The research will use new technologies and materials to provide valuable evidence for future standards and how to drive down energy bills. This funding is part of the Technology Strategy Board's £50 million Low Impact Buildings Innovation Platform, which is being allocated to projects in the period to 2011. The money will be used by a consortium-including Barratt Developments, Crest Nicholson, Stewart-Milne, H + H Celcon, Oxford Brookes University and the Building Research Establishment-to build demonstration homes.
	These homes will be built without the use of on-site renewables so as to test just how far it is possible to go towards zero carbon through energy efficient fabric measures alone and the implications of doing so. Having designed and built the homes, they will be monitored to find out the energy savings that occupants realise in practice and to learn more about the occupants' experience of living in highly energy efficient homes. The lessons we learn from these homes will be valuable evidence to support the way that the zero-carbon homes of the future are built.

Migrant Workers: Employment

Lord West of Spithead: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration (Phil Woolas) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I am announcing today that, from 14 December 2009, employers wishing to recruit a migrant under tier 2 of the points-based system will first need to advertise to jobseekers in the UK for four weeks. This strengthens the current requirement to advertise jobs for two weeks, or one week for jobs over £40,000.
	Since April this year, the resident labour market test (RLMT) has included a requirement to advertise skilled jobs in Jobcentre Plus, so that resident workers have a single source-their local job centre-to access all skilled vacancies.
	This change was proposed by the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) in their tier 2 report which was published on 19 August, a copy of which can be found in the House Library. On 7 September the Home Secretary announced that the Government have accepted the recommendations put forward in the report in full.
	The Prime Minister announced, in his speech on immigration on 12 November, that the strengthening of the resident labour market test would be introduced quickly, to better support resident workers looking for skilled jobs.
	The flexibility of the points-based system allows us to support UK workers and at the same time meet the recruitment needs of businesses and to support the economy. In making this change, we are using that flexibility to support businesses in two ways:
	First, we will only apply this change to advertising campaigns that start on or after 14 December. Businesses that have already run advertisements will not need to do so again to meet the new requirement. Secondly, while we will require all jobs to be advertised for four weeks before a migrant worker can be appointed, we will not require the four weeks to be continuous. This will mean that businesses will not need to advertise all their vacancies for four weeks on the off-chance that no suitable resident workers apply and they need to recruit a migrant worker. For example, we will allow businesses to advertise skilled jobs for two weeks initially. If a suitable resident worker applies, the business can appoint them straight away. However, if no suitable resident workers apply, the resident labour market must be tested for a further two weeks before they can appoint a migrant worker.
	The other changes to tier 2 recommended by the MAC will be implemented in spring 2010.

Ministry of Defence: Votes A Supplementary Estimate

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Ministry of Defence Votes A Supplementary Estimate 2009-10 will be laid before the House on 24 November as HC7. This outlines the change in the maximum numbers of personnel to be maintained for service in the naval service during financial year 2009-10.

Ministry of Defence: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Bob Ainsworth) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Ministry of Defence Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) will be increased by £176,772,000 (Voted and Non-Voted) from £39,419,339,000 to £39,596,111,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on Resources and Capital are as set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Change  New DEL   
			  Voted Non-Voted Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource 295,792 32,980 38,687,508 223,445 38,910,953 
			 Of which: Administration Budget - - 2,237,737 - 2,237,737 
			 Near-cash in RDEL 34,792 32,980 26,371,391 424,925 26,796,316 
			 Capital -71,000 - 9,048,789 851 9,049,640 
			 Depreciation* -81,000 - -8,354,962 -9,520 -8,364,482 
			 Total 143,792 32,980 39,381,335 214,776 39,596,111 
		
	
	* Depreciation, which forms part of Resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The changes to the resource and capital elements of the DEL arise from:
	to transfer £100,000,000 Capital Resource to Direct Resource within RfR1 relating to Single Use Military Equipment (SUME) flexibility with no overall impact on DEL;
	a transfer in from the Department for Transport of £500,000 in respect of funding arrangements for the Royal Flight (RfR1);
	transfers out to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office being the MoD's contribution to the Afghanistan Delivery Group of £6,500,000 (RfR1); transfers out to the Department for International Development of £500,000 being the MoD's contribution to the tri-Department Stabilisation Unit (RfR1) and £6,729,000 being the MoD's contribution to the Conflict Pool (enabled by a token increase of £1,000 Resource DEL in RfR2);
	an increase in Fiscal Capital Resource of £17,000,000 to reflect the abatement of the MoD 2008-09 Treasury fine, which resulted from a smaller overspend than originally forecasted;
	an increase in Fiscal Capital Resource of £15,000,000 to reflect Treasury relief for lower capital receipts in Northern Ireland than originally forecasted;
	an increase of £20,000,000 Resource DEL (funded from our 2008-09 End Year Flexibility stock) to reflect the Government decision to negate the impact of the planned MoD training costs 2009-10 budget reduction for the Territorial Army (RfR1);
	to reflect the estimated net resource (near cash and indirect cost) impact of the third stage of the International Financial Reporting Standards for leases relating to Annington Homes (IAS 17) of £222,000,000;
	to reflect the estimated net capital resource (near cash) impact of the third stage of the International Financial Reporting Standards for leases relating to Annington Homes (IAS 17) being a reduction of £3,000,000;
	to increase Non Budget Grants in Aid (Non Voted) for the Council of Reserve Forces and Cadets Association of £31,700,000; £180,000 for the National Army Museum; and £1,100,000 for the Royal Hospital, Chelsea ; by reducing Resource DEL current costs and increasing Non Budget Grants in Aid with no overall impact on resource; and
	to revise sub-head provisions to reflect Resource and Capital revisions in allocations between Top Level Budget Holders to match required defence outputs, with no overall impact on DEL.
	The changes to Resource DEL and Capital DEL will lead to an increased net cash requirement of £38,501,000.

National Savings and Investments: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Myners: My honourable friend the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Sarah McCarty-Fry) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary Supplementary Estimate, National Savings and Investments DEL will be increased by £26,492 to £183,760,000. Within DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Change  New Del  Total 
			  Voted Non-voted Voted Non-Voted  
			 Resource Del: 26,492 -4,994 183,599 - 183,599 
			 Of which:-  
			 Administration budget: 26,492 -4,994 183,599  183,599 
			 Near cash in RDEL: 26,492 -4,994 179,104 - 179,104 
			 Capital - - 3,176 - 3,176 
			 Depreciation* - - -3,015 - -3,015 
			 Total 26,492 -4,994 183,760 - 183,760 
		
	
	* Depreciation which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The change in the resource element of DEL arises from:
	A drawdown of £ 1,498,000 from the Modernisation Fund for the development and implementation of the IS Strategy.
	A drawdown of £20,000,000 of End Year Flexibility for continuation of modernisation programmes that commenced in 2008-09. These cover IS Infrastructure Programme, Strategic Platform Development Programme, Dematerialisation and Authentication.
	A drawdown of its departmental unallocated provision of £4,994,000 to fund the simplification and modernisation programme.

Northern Ireland Office: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Shaun Woodward) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) will be taking a 2009-10 Winter Supplementary Estimate. The effect this will have is to increase the NIO's DEL by £41,255,000 from £1,164,487,000 to £1,205,742,000.
	
		
			  Change  New DEL   
			 £'000 Voted Non-Voted Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource (7,286) 10,286 292,868 896,594 1,189,462 
			 Admin Budget - - 73,926 - 73,926 
			 Near-cash (3,799) 6,799 248,936 720,179 969,115 
			 Capital (2,773) 2,773 24,238 52,465 76,703 
			 Depreciation 18,639 19,616 (19,249) (41,174) (60,423) 
			 Total 8,580 32,675 297,857 907,885 1,205,742 
		
	
	The change in total DEL of £41,255,000 relates to funding of £3,000,000 from DEL Reserve for the European Elections held in May 2009 and the transfer of non-cash of £38,255,000 from depreciation to cost of capital and provisions.

Office of Gas and Electricity Markets: Winter Supplementary Estimates

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My right honourable friend the Minister for Energy and Climate Change (Ed Miliband) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Office of Gas and Electricity Market's DEL will be increased by £1,000 from £651,000 to £652,000 and the administration budget will be increased by £1,000 from £701,000 to £702,000.
	
		
			   New DEL 
			 £'000 Change Voted Non-voted Total 
			 Resource DEL 1 702 0 702 
			 Of which: 
			 Administration budget 1 702 0 702 
			 Near-cash in RDEL 1 -93 700 607 
			 Capital DEL** 0 950 0 950 
			 Depreciation 0 -1000 0 -1000 
			 Total 0 652 0 652 
		
	
	* The total of the "Administration Budget" and "Near cash in Resource DEL" figures may well be greater than total resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in Estimates and accounts but which are treated as Capital DEL in budgets.
	Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from a token increase in administration costs. The token increase is necessary to bring to Parliament's attention an increase in administration costs of £4,001,000 offset by an increase in appropriations in aid of £4,000,000. The increase in administration costs is as a result of additional unplanned expenditure on administration of the Smart Meter project, and the offshore transmission tender process.
	There is no change in the capital element of the DEL.

Political Parties and Elections Act 2009

Lord Bach: My right honourable friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Jack Straw) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I wish to make the following Statement to the House regarding the commencement of party funding provisions of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009. The Act received Royal Assent on 21 July 2009 and represents a significant step towards a system of party funding which is more transparent, better regulated and, most importantly, better able to win the confidence of the public.
	The following provision will commence on 25 November 2009:
	Section 21-Limitation of pre-candidacy election expenses for certain general elections. This provision introduces a new spending limit for candidates at certain general elections, to run from the date after 55 months of a Parliament have elapsed until the date an individual formally becomes a candidate (this is, in most cases, the date of dissolution of Parliament). Commencement on 25 November means that, in the case of the present Parliament, the new spending limit will apply to election expenses incurred on or after 25 November which are used on or after 1 January 2010.
	The following provisions will commence on 1 January 2010:
	Section 12-Defence to charge of failing to return donation from impermissible donor. This provision seeks to add clarity to the existing position in the 2000 Act, namely, that if a party treasurer is charged with an offence of accepting an impermissible donation, the party or party treasurer will not be guilty if they can show that they took all reasonable steps to verify that the donor was a permissible donor, and having done so, believed that was the case.
	Section 13-"Reasonable excuse" in relation to certain offences under the 2000 Act. This provision recasts certain offences in the 2000 Act (mainly relating to requirements imposed by that Act to report various matters to the Electoral Commission) so that they may be committed only if something is done or not done "without reasonable excuse". The provision also removes existing defences to the offences in question, in consequence of this new qualification to the acts or omissions that may constitute an offence.
	Section 14-Control of donations to members associations: responsible persons. These provisions require that members' associations in receipt of a reportable permissible donation (a transaction in excess of £7,500) or an impermissible recordable donation (above £500), appoint a responsible person where they do not have a treasurer.
	Section 15-Control of donations to holders of elective office-compliance officers. These provisions are intended to alleviate some of the burden of complying with reporting procedures by allowing (but not requiring) holders of elective office1 to appoint a compliance officer to assist with the duties of reporting and verifying donations and loans. The provisions do not absolve an office-holder who chooses to appoint such an officer of guilt for a failure to comply.
	Section 16-Control of loans to members associations: responsible persons. This provision achieves the same effect as Section 14, in relation to loans and related transactions.
	Section 17-Control of loans to holders of elective office-compliance officers. This provision achieves the same effect as Section 15, in relation to loans and related transactions.
	Section 18-Person may not be "responsible person" for more than one recognised third party. A recognised third party is an organisation that spends more than £10,000 on campaigning at an election and registers with the Electoral Commission as a result. This section provides that persons responsible for ensuring compliance with the reporting requirements for expenditure to which recognised third parties are subject, as set out in the 2000 Act, may not discharge these responsibilities with respect to more than one recognised third party.
	Section 20-Increased thresholds in relation to donations etc. This section increases to more than £500 the threshold above which donations received and loans entered into must be recorded under the 2000 Act. Additionally the thresholds above which donations and loans must be reported to the Electoral Commission are increased to more than £1,500 (for individuals and accounting units) and to more than £7,500 (for registered parties, members associations, recognised third parties and permitted participants).
	We are committed to implementing the Act in a timely and appropriate manner, taking account of good regulatory practice and the desirability of early commencement. We have been engaging with the political parties, the Electoral Commission and other government departments to ensure that the commencement programme for the Act is timely and effective.
	Subject to approval by both Houses where necessary, the following provisions will commence on 1 July:
	Section 1(2)-Compliance with controls imposed by the 2000 Act etc. This provision amends Section 145 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 by clarifying that the function of the Electoral Commission is to regulate, as well as monitor, compliance with that Act. In its capacity as regulator, the commission shall take such steps as it considers appropriate to secure compliance with those requirements. The commission will publish guidance as to what conduct will satisfy the requirements of the 2000 Act.
	Section 2 (and Schedule 1)-Investigatory powers of the commission. These provisions give effect to new schedule 19B to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 which provides the commission with powers to enable them to require access to information for certain purposes and to fulfil their function as an effective regulator.
	Section 3 (and Schedule 2)-Civil Sanctions. These provisions insert new schedule 19C to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. They give the Electoral Commission new powers to apply a range of civil sanctions to offences and contraventions under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (as amended by the Political Parties and Elections Act and the Electoral Administration Act 2006). The new flexible civil sanctions provide alternatives to referral for criminal prosecution under the 2000 Act, allowing the Electoral Commission to apply sanctions that are appropriate to the nature of each contravention. The Commission will also be able to use new approaches to secure compliance with the law where appropriate, rather than imposing a traditional penalty such as a fine, or referring a case for criminal investigation.
	Section 8-Education about systems of government and EU institutions. This provision restricts the Electoral Commission's educational role to promoting awareness of current and pending electoral systems in the UK.
	The following provisions will be not be commenced before the summer of 2010:
	Section 9-Declaration as to source of donation; Section 10-Non-resident donors; Section 11-Non-resident lenders. Officials have begun preliminary work on the prerequisites to implementation of these provisions. However, as I stated during consideration of Lords Amendments to the Bill, we are practically unable to commence Sections 10 and 11 before the summer of 2010 due to their complex nature. Section 9, which requires donors to provide declarations as to the true origins of all donations of over £7,500, will be commenced alongside Sections 10 and 11 to ensure consistency in approach, which will be welcomed by those who make political donations, as well as parties and other recipients who will have to ensure that they comply with the additional declaration requirement.
	1 For the purposes of Schedule 7 (reporting of donations), the relevant elective offices are: member of the House of Commons; member of the European Parliament elected in the United Kingdom; member of the Scottish Parliament; member of the National Assembly for Wales; member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, member of any local authority in the United Kingdom (including the Common Council of the City of London but excluding a parish or community council); a member of the Greater London Assembly; and the Mayor of London or other elected mayor. For the purposes of Schedule 7A (reporting of loans) the list of relevant elective offices is the same, with the exception of independent members of the Scottish Parliament and independent members of Scottish local authorities.

Railways: Franchises

Lord Adonis: The Essex Thameside franchise, currently operating as c2c, consists of services on the London, Tilbury and Southend railway line from Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness in Essex. The current franchise is due to end in May 2011. The department will be consulting on the new franchise specification over the spring of 2010, with a view to issuing an invitation to tender in the summer of 2010 and an announcement of the successful bidder in early 2011 to start the new franchise in May 2011.
	The InterCity East Coast franchise is currently operated by the East Coast Main Line Company after the previous franchise, operated by National Express East Coast, was terminated. This franchise consists of services on the East Coast Main Line from London to Scotland, including Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The department will be consulting on the new franchise specification over the spring of 2010, with a view to issuing an invitation to tender in the autumn of 2010 and an announcement of the successful bidder in the summer 2011 to start the new franchise in November 2011.
	I have today published the joint prior information notice (PIN) for the re-franchising of both the Essex Thameside and InterCity East Coast rail franchises, giving potential bidders further information and I have placed a copy in the Libraries of the House.

Sanction Regimes

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: My honourable friend the Parliamentary-under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Chris Bryant) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
	The Government are committed to keeping Parliament informed of the sanctions regimes which the UK implements. Currently the UK implements United Nations sanctions in relation to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, C�te d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan and in relation to terrorism as laid out in UN Security Council Resolution 1373.
	The UK also implements sanctions regimes imposed autonomously by the EU in relation to Belarus, Burma, China, the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (in connection with individuals indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or responsible for certain acts of violence at Mostar), Guinea, the Transnistrian region of Moldova and Zimbabwe.
	In accordance with a decision of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the UK implements arms embargoes on Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Government also take full account of the Economic Community of West African States moratorium on certain exports of small arms and light weapons to Economic Community of West African States members.
	A document listing the sanctions regimes and restrictive measures implemented by the UK is being laid in the Libraries of the House of Commons and House of Lords. It is also published on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/business-services/export-controls-sanctions/. This document outlines the restrictive measures in place and includes objectives and lift criteria for each regime.

Sri Lanka

Lord Brett: My right honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development has made the following Statement.
	I would like to update the House on the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka. Six months ago, the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka created almost 280,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). I visited Sri Lanka in early October and advocated for freedom of movement for the IDP population who continue to be held in closed camps. At the time of my visit, this population numbered almost 253,000 people. I would like to reiterate that meeting the humanitarian needs of the IDPs remains the most immediate priority for the UK Government.
	I welcome the recent announcement by the Government of Sri Lanka of their intention that all IDPs will have total freedom of movement from 1 December in the camps in Sri Lanka. It will be important that humanitarian agencies have access to fully meet the needs of the IDPs who choose to remain in the camps until they can return to their homes or go to host families. Approximately 130,000 IDPs still remain in these camps. Conditions remain basic but have improved since the separate visits to Sri Lanka earlier this year by the Foreign Secretary, a cross-party group of MPs led by Des Browne as well as my own previous visits in April and October. The monsoon has now started and it is raining heavily. Many of the temporary shelters are deteriorating and there is a risk that flooding will occur. With freedom of movement then it would be much more acceptable for humanitarian agencies to be able to improve conditions in the camps and support any moves to make them genuine welfare villages.
	I also join with the UN to welcome the recent progress made by the Government of Sri Lanka over the past four weeks in returning the IDPs from the closed camps in Vavuniya to their home areas. As of 20 November, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that over 132,000 IDPs have now either returned to their home areas or have been released to institutions or host families elsewhere. The majority of those returning to their homes have been to Jaffna. Returns are now starting to other areas in the Vanni such as Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.
	However, I also have concerns. The pace of returns is increasingly limited by the challenge of ensuring that areas are free from land mines and unexploded ordnance. I am pleased that we are helping to meet this challenge by funding the work of two British demining NGOs-the HALO Trust and Mine Action Group-to help make areas safe again. A further concern is that not all returnees enjoy unrestricted freedom of movement outside of their immediate home areas. Moreover, in some areas where the IDPs have been able to return home, humanitarian access for agencies to assist them is still restricted. This is making it unnecessarily hard to meet the basic needs of returning IDPs. I urge the Government of Sri Lanka to co-operate fully with all concerned humanitarian agencies so that they can undertake their usual assistance and protection activities, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
	DfID continues to support the relief effort to Sri Lanka as the situation on the ground allows. Since September 2008, we have committed 12.5 million. Last week, I approved a further 1 million from this budget to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to support the safe and dignified return of IDPs to their home areas. This grant will help provide transport, emergency shelters, temporary health clinics, immediate access to high-quality water and sanitation facilities and livelihoods support for the returning IDP population. It will also allow IOM to extend its existing IDP registration programme to all IDPs. This registration programme was originally supported by DfID in April and is an essential part of enabling returning IDPs to access basic services.
	We have always made it clear that the IDP camps should not be anything other than temporary in nature. During my recent visit, I confirmed that once the critical monsoon season is over DfID will only fund life-saving emergency interventions in the existing closed camps. The focus of our funding will shift further towards early recovery activities in the area of demining, support to the returns process and livelihood recovery. Once again, I would like to reassure the House that all DfID funding is provided directly to neutral and impartial international agencies. 2.87 million remains to be committed as the situation on the ground allows.
	Looking forward, we recognise the progress that the Government of Sri Lanka have made towards their own original target of returning 80 per cent of the IDPs to their areas of origin by the end of the year. After 26 years of intermittent conflict, there remain an additional 214,000 long-term displaced people to consider who may now also wish to return to their home areas. It is important that the Government of Sri Lanka address the needs of all IDPs.
	Our other priority since the end of the conflict has been to urge the Government to make a concerted effort to secure lasting peace by working for genuine reconciliation between Sri Lanka's communities. Our view remains that this can only be achieved through a fully inclusive political settlement that addresses the legitimate grievance and aspirations of all communities.
	The British Government continue to engage fully with the Government of Sri Lanka as well as international and multilateral partners. The Foreign Secretary discussed these issues with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister when they last spoke on 4 November. Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka regularly raises our concerns with senior members of the Sri Lankan Government. The UN Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, Sir John Holmes, visited Sri Lanka on 17 to 19 November and concluded that returns must be both voluntary and informed. He also welcomed the Government of Sri Lanka's assurance regarding their commitment to ensuring full freedom of movement for IDPs. I spoke to Sir John Holmes yesterday about the humanitarian situation going forwards and the international response and reiterated the UK priority of freedom of movement for the IDP population. I also welcomed the progress that has been made to date by the Government of Sri Lanka in returning the IDPs from the camps to their homes.

Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat): Capital End of Year Flexibility Draw Down

Lord Davies of Oldham: My honourable friend the Minister for Marine and Natural Environment (Huw Irranca-Davies) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Subject to parliamentary approval of HM Treasury agreement to capital end of year flexibility draw down in 2009-10, the capital element of DEL (CDEL) will increase by 80,000.
	Resource DEL (RDEL) remains at 1,000, representing the token vote; no additional cash requirement is required.
	The impact on resources and capital is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  New DEL   '000 
			  Change Voted Non-Voted Total 
			 Resource DEL 0 1 0 1 
			 of which: 
			 Administration budget* 0 1 0 1 
			 Near cash in DEL 0 -234 0 -234 
			 Capital 80 480 0 480 
			 Depreciation** 0 -189 0 -189 
			 Total 80 292 0 292 
		
	
	* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
	** Capital DEL includes items treated as resource in estimates and accounts but which are treated as capital DEL in budgets.
	*** The total of the administration budget and near cash in resource DEL figures may well be greater than total Resource DEL, due to the definitions overlapping.
	Changes in Capital DEL (CDEL)
	The change in the capital element of DEL of 80,000 arises in a claim on capital end of year flexibility to cover the cost of Phase 2 of the new telephone switch system.

Women: Violence

Lord West of Spithead: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Alan Johnson) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I am pleased to announce that on Wednesday 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, I am launching a cross-government strategy to address violence against women and girls.
	In recent years much has been achieved to increase protection for women and to prosecute their attackers. However, the strategy will be the first comprehensive, co-ordinated effort to tackle this form of gender-based violence, integrating work from across government under the headings of prevention, provision and protection.
	The Government recognise that the complexity of this issue demands not only a firm criminal justice response, but focussed measures to stop violence from happening in the first place while ensuring that appropriate help and support for women and girls is available to those who need it. To deliver these commitments we will continue to work closely with local partners to achieve our goal of ending violence against women.